


Of Broken Friendships and Strong Bonds

by AnimationNut



Series: Broken and Repaired [2]
Category: Amphibia (Cartoon)
Genre: Anger, Anne is having a hard time after the fallout with Sasha, Blood, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Dealing With Trauma, Don't copy to another site, Emotional Hurt, Family Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fractured Friendship, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Guilt, Hurt/Comfort, Minor Injuries
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-05
Updated: 2020-08-19
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:20:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,340
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25720462
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnimationNut/pseuds/AnimationNut
Summary: The standoff with Sasha at Toad Tower has left Anne emotionally devastated. Believing she put her family in danger by trusting Sasha in the first place, Anne keeps her guilt to herself. But the Plantars won't let her suffer in silence.
Relationships: Anne Boonchuy & Hopadiah "Hop Pop" Plantar, Anne Boonchuy & Polly Plantar, Anne Boonchuy & Sprig Plantar
Series: Broken and Repaired [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1865572
Comments: 21
Kudos: 142





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Amphibia.

With the stolen sword in hand, Anne followed Hop Pop, Sprig and Polly down the cracked stone steps. Tears blurred her eyes but every stumble was caught by Hop Pop’s steady hand. She lost the strength to hold up her sword and the tip fell to the dirt as they stepped out into the early morning dawn. It created a long, thin line as she dragged it, willing every fiber of her body to keep going, step by step.

“We’re almost there, Anne,” murmured Hop Pop. “I can see the barge.”

“’kay,” choked out Anne. Her throat was tight and thick with tears.

The residents of Wartwood were waiting for them on the wooden vehicle. Their cheers of seeing them safe and sound hastily died out upon spotting Anne’s state. Concerned and sympathetic mumbling started to ripple before being silenced by a very harsh shush from Mrs. Croaker.

Hop Pop ushered Sprig and Polly onto the barge before turning to his third charge. His heart shattered at the sight of Anne staring desperately at the half-destroyed Toad Tower. Her eyes whipped back and forth, straining to see into the shadows, willing Sasha to appear, to come home with her.

But there was only silence and emptiness.

“Anne, honey?” said Hop Pop quietly. “We have to hit the road.”

Anne nodded numbly. She tried to climb on the barge but her foot kept missing the step and she let out a strangled hiss of frustration. Hop Pop seized her arm and gave her a firm tug aboard. With everyone accounted for Mrs. Croaker gave a snap of the reins and the tarantula took off, carrying them through the forest and back towards Wartwood.

Anne wobbled with the movement of the cart, her balance hanging by a thread. Sprig grabbed her hand, holding it tight, and he said earnestly, “It’s gonna be okay, Anne.”

“Maybe,” whispered Anne. “But—but how am I supposed to get back home when she doesn’t…when she won’t…”

Her body started to shudder as sobs overtook her. At the back of the cart, she sunk to the wooden floor and curled into a ball. Sprig immediately wrapped himself around her, closing his eyes and clutching her as if he were her only lifeline.

Polly wriggled her way to nestle against Anne’s neck. Hop Pop put a hand against her heaving back and whispered words of comfort.

Ivy looked at the heartbroken human, her own expression distraught. “I don’t get it. That girl…that other human…I thought she was supposed to be Anne’s best friend from her home world.”

Felicia set a hand against her daughter’s head. “I’m afraid she wasn’t much of a friend, sweetheart,” she said softly.

While Anne also understood this, she wasn’t ready to confront it.

“How am I s’posed to get home?” Anne asked between shuddering sobs. “I can’t go home without her.”

“Don’t yew worry about that,” said Hop Pop sternly. “We’ll figure it out later. Together. Okay?”

Anne nodded, her forehead lightly knocking off the wooden barrier she was crouched against. The Plantars continued rubbing her hair and back until her tears finally slowed for a second time that evening. She slowly unfurled and sat up, scrubbing at her face and eyes.

She noticed for the first time that the barge was quiet. She stared at the inhabitants of Wartwood, who were dirty and bruised and exhausted. Guilt surged viciously and clawed at her insides. She had told them she trusted Sasha. That it was okay to trust the toads because Sasha trusted them.

They probably hated her now.

She tried to apologize but the words got stuck in her throat. Her chest constricted and she stared at her knees, nails digging into her skin.

Hop Pop dug a handkerchief from his pocket and dabbed at her cheeks. “Yew didn’t get hurt, did yew?”

His tenderness was another knife into her heart. She had yielded to Sasha, was ready to step down and bow her head. She had betrayed Hop Pop in that moment. She betrayed them all. “No.”

Hop Pop frowned, studying her intently. “Yew sure? She didn’t nick yew?”

_No. But I nicked her._

A ruby red arc stained on pale flesh. Sasha wouldn’t forgive her for that.

Part of Anne didn’t care. Another part did. Nearly a decade of friendship could not be undone in a single night—not to her, at least.

“No,” she repeated. Her eyes burned from fatigue and she rubbed at them again. “You guys are okay, right?”

“Sure are,” said Polly.

“Fit as a fiddle,” said Sprig, flexing his arms.

Polly rolled her eyes. “Yeah, fit as _your_ fiddle, maybe.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

As the siblings fell into their familiar bickering Anne cracked a tiny smile. It brought a flicker of life to her eyes again and Hop Pop felt a flare of relief. “We’re fine, Anne. We all are.”

Though she believed him Anne’s eyes still roamed over the frogs gathered. None were bleeding and their eyes were bleak with exhaustion, not pain, and the fact that they were in good health despite the disaster gave her a smidgen of peace.

She rested her head against the barrier and closed her eyes. She heard Hop Pop quietly instruct Sprig and Polly to quit their argument, no doubt thinking Anne was trying to get some sleep. A few hours of rest were something Anne would have loved to succumb to but her mind was racing and her heart was in pieces.

She wasn’t sleeping any time soon.

Instead she tried to take some calmness from the early morning air. But the natural humidity of the swamp did not help the vice-grip on her chest. She gave up after a few attempted deep breaths and found herself falling into her thoughts.

Sasha had chosen the toads over her. Sasha had been willing to kill Sprig and Hop Pop and all the frogs if it meant it would get her what she wanted. She didn’t bother to consider there was another way.

Because it was either Sasha’s way or the highway.

Tonight was the first time in the history of their friendship that Anne hadn’t blindly followed Sasha.

Was that it, then? Was saying no really the thing that broke their friendship, as Anne had always feared? Did their years of inside jokes, sleepovers, mall trips and memories mean absolutely nothing to her? Had Sasha ever cared for her at all?

The image of Sasha willingly letting go of her hand to plummet to her death caused Anne to nearly throw up.

Sasha had chosen to save Anne over herself. It wasn’t manipulation and it wasn’t a trick. Anne _knew_ Sasha. She knew when the blonde was being sincere.

But she also knew that Sasha would not seek her out. Even if Sasha still considered Anne a friend, she would not come to her. She would not apologize. Sasha didn’t apologize. She would expect Anne to come to her for forgiveness and do whatever it took for it to be earned.

In the past, Anne usually did, on the rare occasion she did something to gain Sasha’s ire. But not this time.

_Maybe you’re better off without me._

An iron weight settled in Anne’s stomach when she admitted to herself that Sasha was right. Without the blonde by her side, she was a much better person.

The barge came to a halt a while later and Anne cracked her eyes open. “Whoa, girl,” called Mrs. Croaker, ensuring the tarantula stayed still. “Easy now. All right, everybody, we’re home.”

The frogs started to mill and Anne got to her feet. Her eyes fell on the sword and she stared at it for a moment, the sound of metal clashing against metal ringing in her ears, and remembering the fury boiling in Sasha’s eyes as they went toe to toe.

Anne set her lips in a firm line. She seized the hilt and picked it up. She was certain a day would come where she would need it again.

Instead of milling for the lowered steps, Anne hoisted herself over the barrier and to the ground. She silently extended a hand towards Sprig and he grasped it. “Thanks,” he said gratefully as she set him down.

“No prob.”

Polly and Hop Pop were next and Anne went to the nearest structure she could sit on. She collapsed on the edge of the fountain with her family gathering beside her. Hop Pop took a deep breath and said, “I know that was hard for yew, Anne. Thank yew, yew know, for everything.”

Anne stared at him, at the sadness in his eyes on her behalf, and a love so intense and fierce burst through her, momentarily consuming the darkness.

This was friendship. This is what she would hold onto with her life.

“Hop Pop, you three are my family. I’d never let anyone hurt you.”

She wouldn’t yield ever again.

“So, you guys wanna get breakfast and come up with some kind of plan to get Anne home?” asked Sprig, gently elbowing Anne in the side.

“It’s gonna be dangerous,” warned Hop Pop, pointing at Anne. “Perilous even.”

“Understatement,” exclaimed Polly.

The future was uncertain. But one thing wasn’t.

“Well, whatever happens next, one thing’s for sure. If we’re together, I know we’ll be all right.”

She looped them into a hug and for a moment they watched the frogs of Wartwood straggle back to their homes before doing the same themselves. The farm was a heavenly sight.

“All right, kids. How about some pancakes?” asked Hop Pop as they filed into the house.

The mention of food made Anne’s stomach turn. “I’m actually not hungry. I think I’m going to lie down.”

“If yer sure,” said Hop Pop. “Yew want to sleep in my room?”

It was a tried and true method whenever she was hurt, ill or homesick. Anne gave a weak smile. “Nah, I’m good. Thanks, though.”

“I’ll be down later to check on you,” promised Sprig.

Anne nodded and ventured through the hatch. She collapsed into her bed, the mattress soft and warm. Her eyes immediately fell on the picture stuck to the wall. Her, Sasha and Marcy, smiling for the camera, their arms wrapped around each other.

Anne snatched the picture and gripped it between two hands. She started to move them in opposite directions, her fingers trembling.

After an agonizing minute, she let the picture drop. She couldn’t do it. Couldn’t rip apart the friendship as easily as Sasha.

And there was still Marcy. She still had to find Marcy. Their friendship wasn’t in tatters.

A single tear ran slowly down her cheek and splattered against the photograph.


	2. Chapter 2

For several hours, Anne stared blankly at the wall, listening to the chatter of Hop Pop, Sprig and Polly as they moved about upstairs. When their voices softened, she knew they were talking about her. She tried not to dwell on what they were saying—in her imagination, they weren’t kind words.

The hinges on the basement hatch creaked as it opened and Anne stopped her restless turning. She kept her back to the door, hoping that Sprig would think she was sleeping and quietly retreat. But he approached her and gently shook her shoulder.

“Anne? It’s time to get up.”

Anne took a second before rolling over, stretching her arms over her head and faking a yawn. “What time is it?”

“It’s just after noon.”

“Did you sleep?” she asked, even though she knew he hadn’t.

Sprig shook his head. “Nah. I’m tired but I can wait until night to sleep.” He paused before saying hesitantly, “Hop Pop says we have to do our chores or else we’ll get behind. I tried telling him Polly and I can split up your share—”

“It’s fine,” said Anne quickly, throwing her legs over the edge of the bed and standing up. She was bone-tired, but finishing her portion of the chores was the least she could do after the situation she had put them in. “Let’s go.”

They went upstairs to see Polly and Hop Pop getting the gas masks ready for cleaning up Bessie’s waste. Anne started to grab hers but Hop Pop lightly batted her hand away. “Eat first, Anne. Can’t do a good job on an empty stomach. I made yew a salad, with the crickets, just the way yew like it.”

There was a brief pang in her chest as she thought about the last meal she shared with Sasha before everything imploded. It had been hours since then but she wasn’t hungry in the slightest. Not even for cricket salad, which had become one of her favourite foods.

“Thanks,” she said. “I’ll, uh, I’ll meet you outside.”

She shuffled into the kitchen where a big bowl of greens, turnips, carrots, onions, crickets and peppers waited for her. There was no dressing—the Plantar version of dressing was swamp sludge and Anne had to draw the line somewhere.

She speared a bunch of vegetables with her fork and stuck it in her mouth. She chewed and tried to swallow but her throat was still thick with sadness and the food tasted like sawdust, making it even harder to get down. Anne spit it back in the bowl and slumped back in her chair.

She felt hollow. Empty. Though she knew she had made the right decision in the end she still felt terrible. She hated feeling terrible.

Anne stared at the garbage bin. She lifted the lid and found a bundle of papers inside. She took them out and scraped the food to the very bottom of the bin. She covered it with the papers, hiding the discarded meal, so Hop Pop would not discover it and ask questions.

She lingered in the kitchen for a little while longer, knowing it would be suspicious if she came outside too quickly. When enough time had passed, she went into the living room and grabbed her mask. She slipped it on and ventured outside, where she was immediately engulfed by humid air. She seized her pitchfork and joined her family in mucking out Bessie’s area.

“Phew,” said Sprig when they finished, whipping off his mask when they were a safe distance away. “Whatever we’re feeding Bessie, we need to stop, ‘cause that smell is nasty.”

“Give yer hands a good scrub and get to weedin’ the garden,” instructed Hop Pop. “I’ll start harvestin’ the crops.”

“How was your food?” asked Polly as they made their way inside.

“Good,” said Anne. “You know me. Love those crunchy fried crickets.”

Polly grinned. “I can’t believe a month ago you refused to eat bugs.”

“I bet none of your friends are brave enough to do that,” said Sprig.

Anne thought of the flies she had seen baked into the pie Sasha had ordered. She had wanted to ask Sasha about it. But the blonde had trained her well in determining which questions were acceptable to ask and which ones weren’t.

A mix of anger and regret twisted in her gut like a whirlpool. Sasha had made her afraid to ask questions. She’d never know if the girl had also succumbed to eating bugs.

_Don’t think about her, Anne. Don’t think about her._

“Probably not,” said Anne with forced cheer. “I’m awesome like that.”

“Yeah you are,” said Sprig.

After they scrubbed their hands, they returned to the front yard to clean the intrusive plants from the gardens. Anne’s arms shook with the effort she put into yanking out the weeds. She was running on fumes, her energy levels barely enough to keep her functioning. 

She was sore by the time the job was done. By then Hop Pop had finished harvesting the crops and together they wiped the dirt and debugged the vegetables. They put them in crates and Sprig, Hop Pop and Anne carried them into the house where they would be stored until they could be sold at the stand.

“You wanna play Tongue Tag, Anne?” asked Sprig eagerly.

“Yeah!” said Polly. “Sprig can be it!”

Anne could barely find the strength to keep standing, let alone run. “Nah, I’m good. I think I’m gonna go back to bed. I’m still pretty tired.”

“Sorry, kiddo, but yew gotta stay up ‘til nighttime,” said Hop Pop. “I don’t want yew ruinin’ yer sleep schedule.”

Anne’s face fell. “Oh.” When Hop Pop frowned at her, she hastily tried to force a smile onto her lips. “Right! Totally get it.”

“Why don’t we take a trip into town?” suggested Hop Pop. “There’s some groceries we need to get.”

“Shopping!” cheered Polly. “Let’s go!”

Anne followed after them. When Hop Pop offered her the reins, she turned him down and stared blearily out at the sprawling marshland. Sprig stared at her lackluster expression with concern. “You okay, Anne? You usually love going into town.”

“Fine,” said Anne. “Just tired, like I said.”

“I know I might seem cruel, not lettin’ yew rest, but it’s for yer own good,” said Hop Pop gently, setting a hand against her arm.

“You’re not cruel,” said Anne immediately. “I get it, really.”

“We’ll get yew a snack at the Grub and Go. Put some pep back into yew.”

“I need some pep,” said Sprig, looking at Hop Pop hopefully. “Can I get a snack?”

“I want candy!” cried Polly.

Hop Pop chuckled. “Yes, yew kids can all get a snack.”

His attention turned back to the road so Anne didn’t have to muster up a cheer to join in with Sprig and Polly. When they reached town, it was to see the frogs up and about, pushing wagons and dragging trash bags.

They were cleaning up the remnants of her Frog of the Year party.

Anne jumped off Bessie before the snail came to a complete stop. She ignored Hop Pop’s startled shout and ran over to Stumpy, who was lugging a massive trash bag towards the garbage lizard. Blood pounded in her ears and guilt roared in her chest.

“I got it!” she said, gripping the bag and flinging it over her own shoulder. The weight of it nearly buckled her. “I got it.”

“Kid—”

“It’s fine!” Anne determinedly went over to the creature and tossed the trash inside. She spun on her heel and looked frantically around. “Is there more trash? I can get it—ow!”

A solid thump to the back of her head caused her to turn around. Stumpy lowered his artificial hand. “Ya don’t need to get anything, Anne.”

“But it’s my mess,” insisted Anne. “I have to help clean it up.”

Stumpy faced the gathered frogs and said bluntly, “Anne don’t need to help, right?”

A chorus of agreements rose up. Wally, who was helping Loggle sweep up the ashes from the burnt statue and stairs, said cheerfully, “You just take it easy, love!”

“We’ve got it covered,” added Loggle.

“But…but…”

“No buts,” said Stumpy firmly. “You just look after yourself. Last night was a rough night for ya. If ya need anything, anything at all, you just let ol’ Stumpy know.”

“Okay,” said Anne softly. “Thanks.”

She went back to where her family was standing, feeling the guilt consume and swallow her. She had given them a disastrous party. She had led them directly into the clutches of the toads. Yet they weren’t mad at her.

“Anne, yew do not jump off the cart while it’s moving!” scolded Hop Pop. “What got into yew, girl?”

“Sorry,” muttered Anne. “Just…just wanted to help. But they say they have it covered.”

“Good, ‘cause I do not want to do more work,” said Polly. “Let’s go get some food!”

They entered Grub and Go, where Sprig and Polly immediately split off to get their desired treats. Anne wandered the aisles by herself, not looking at the products. She felt useless. She needed to make it up to Wartwood but they wouldn’t let her clean up her own mess.

They were so nice.

Not like Sasha. Sasha got people to clean up her messes. She never helped out others, unless it would somehow benefit her in the long run.

The comparisons sprung up, one by one. The friends she had made in Wartwood contrasted against Sasha’s behaviour over the course of their entire friendship. The bond she shared with Sprig was completely opposite over the one she once shared with Sasha.

So _why_ did Anne still miss her? After all she had done?

Anne swallowed back her growing tears, sick and tired of crying. She found herself looping to the front of the store and she waited near the check-out counter. Hop Pop arrived with a cart full of groceries and Sprig and Polly trailed after him, their favourite snacks in their arms.

“Didn’t yew want somethin’, Anne?” asked Hop Pop.

Anne shook her head. “No. I’m good.”

“Hop Pop is offering to buy you junk!” exclaimed Polly. “How can you say no?”

Sprig dumped his bag of sugar-covered worms onto the counter and grasped Anne’s hand. “Hey, are you okay?”

They were staring at her in concern. Anne smiled, even though it felt like her face was going to shatter from the effort. “Yeah. Just watching my snack intake.”

“Mmm-hmm,” said Hop Pop, unconvinced. “Sprig, go get her some beetle jerky.” As Sprig darted back into the aisles, Hop Pop added, “Just in case yew change yer mind.”

Tears built in her throat. She managed to speak past them. “Thanks.”

They returned home with their purchases and when they were done putting them away, Sprig asked, “What do you want to do, Anne?”

“I’ve got a bunch of movies on my phone. Want to watch one?”

“Yes!” said Polly earnestly. “Do you have a super violent one?”

“Er, I’m not really allowed to watch those kinds of movies, but I’ve got one full of action.”

She set her phone up on the coffee table and sat on the couch in between Sprig and Polly. The two were quickly engrossed in the heist movie she had selected. They ate their snacks, eyes wide as they watched the events unfold on the small screen. Anne was grateful that they agreed to a movie. She didn’t have to force conversation or pretend like she was okay. She could just sit and be silent, letting the movie distract her from her twisting and turning thoughts.

By the time the movie was over, it was time for dinner. Anne walked into the kitchen and stared at the worms doused in cheese sauce. Her stomach turned and it wasn’t because of the worms. “I’m actually not really hungry. Can I go to bed now?”

“Yew really should eat somethin’, Anne,” said Hop Pop.

“You made me a pretty big salad for lunch. I’m still full from that,” lied Anne. “And if I get hungry later, I have my beetle jerky. Please?”

Hop Pop hadn’t missed the bags under her eyes. He relented, for he had kept the girl from sleep long enough. “All right. Good night, kiddo. We’ll try to keep it down for yew.”

“Good night,” said Sprig through a mouthful of worms.

“G’night!” chirped Polly. “Thanks for the movie! It was awesome!”

“You’re welcome. Night.”

Anne trudged into the basement and lowered into her bed. For a few hours, she listened to the murmurs of her family, which she found soothing. But soon the frogs retired to their own beds and the house fell silent.

She was alone with her thoughts.

She tried to ignore them. Tried to distract herself by scrolling through her phone. But there were hundreds of texts and selfies with Sasha stored and they seemed to leap from the screen. Her hands shook as she set it down and her eyes landed on the sword resting against the wall across from her bed. A series of images that she tried to keep restrained flashed to the forefront of her mind, overtaking her.

Sasha trying to kill Sprig.

Hop Pop in the clutches of Grime, seconds away from being thrown to his death.

Sasha furiously saying that the residents of Wartwood, her _friends_ , didn’t matter.

Sash staring at her with cold, demanding eyes, and ordering her to stand down.

Her satisfied smile as she obeyed.

Anger surged and choked her and Anne swung herself out of bed. She was angry at herself. She was angry at Sasha. She was angry at the toads. The overwhelming sadness and despair that had plagued her for over a day was consumed by rage she could not control.

She grabbed a barrel and carried it over to the second hatch, which led directly outside. She gripped her sword and boosted herself up with the barrel. She wiggled her way out of the hatch, trying to make as little noise as possible, and rolled out into the front yard.

With her chest feeling like it was being crushed and the breath tearing from her lungs in short, wild gasps, Anne sprinted towards the trees of the surrounding woods and disappeared into the darkness.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Was originally going to be four chapters long, but decided it worked better as three.
> 
> Chapter contains blood and minor injuries.

From the instant Hop Pop’s eyes had landed on the pale human girl standing next to his own adopted human, he knew she was trouble.

Not because she was with the toad army. There was something about her eyes. They were frosty, two frigid chips flicking over them curtly, her lips pulling into a disapproving frown. The expression left as quickly as it had formed when their attention properly fell on her, a lazy greeting pulling from her lips.

But Hop Pop had noticed. Understood she had dismissed them before even meeting them. His gut had lurched with unease and suspicion. When Anne introduced them, he gave a short sound in reply, eyes trained on the bored tilt of her chin.

Sprig had tried to be kind. Tried to use the fact they were both Anne’s best friends as common ground. But Sasha had glanced down at him, as if he were mud on her boots, and her words to him were short and just as cold as her eyes.

But Anne hadn’t noticed. She perceived Sasha’s bossiness as persuasiveness and laughed her behaviour off. Hop Pop hadn’t been able to quite understand why Captain Grime, the cruellest of all toads, wanted to throw a celebration for reuniting Anne and Sasha. But he saw the way Sasha had looked at Anne, and for a brief moment warmth melted the ice glassing over her eyes.

Hop Pop had relented. It didn’t matter that he didn’t approve of her attitude. Anne was finally reunited and he would not take that away from her.

Hop Pop had eased when they all piled inside Toad Tower for the banquet. The toads didn’t have reason to harm them, or so he had thought. They were their main source of income. The amount of taxes they collected would take a drastic dip if all of Wartwood was eliminated.

He had been partly right. The toads didn’t want to eliminate all the frogs. Just him.

And the whole plot to kill him had been orchestrated by the human child Anne cared so deeply for.

That night Hop Pop realized where certain behaviours of Anne had come from. Her lack of respect for rules and authority, her selfish streak, her need for respect and acceptance all stemmed from her friendship with Sasha. Outside of the girl’s influence, Anne had grown tremendously, grown to be the person she _wanted_ to be and not the person Sasha was telling her to be.

It was clear that Sasha did not like that one bit.

It didn’t matter that Anne had said no to Sasha committing _murder_. ‘No’ meant defiance, ‘no’ meant rebellion, ‘no’ meant loss of control.

Hop Pop knew that Sasha didn’t understand how to be a true friend. He knew that Anne had finally come to the same realization.

The crying she had done was soul-wrenching. It tore him up. But this was not something he could fix. He could only comfort and make sure she knew they were there for her.

In the darkness of his room, Hop Pop stared restlessly at the ceiling. He knew the girl was suffering. She was subdued and quiet and listless. She clearly didn’t want to discuss what had happened and Hop Pop tried to brainstorm gentle ways he could urge her to open up.

Something niggled in his heart, a strong desire to check on her. Hop Pop didn’t waste another second and swung himself out of bed. He crossed into the main room and carefully opened the hatch. He paused on the second stair when it registered that Anne wasn’t in her bed.

The blanket was thrown to the floor and her orange phone rested on top of the mattress. Hop Pop’s heart leapt into his throat, for the girl never left her phone behind.

He sprinted to check the washroom but it was empty. Half-hoping that she and Sprig were off on a midnight walk, he hurried upstairs. But his grandson was sleeping soundly in his hammock and fear gripped Hop Pop.

Anne had gone off without Sprig, without her phone.

They needed to find her and fast.

“Get up, boy!” he shouted, giving the hammock a firm shove.

Sprig rocketed upwards, eyes blinking rapidly. “I turned off the lights, I swear!”

“Anne’s missing. We need to find her.”

The words pierced through the fatigue and Sprig turned alert eyes onto Hop Pop. “She’s gone? Did she…did she go after Sasha?”

Hop Pop swallowed past his panic. It was the worst-case scenario, Anne charging blindly after the toads to get to Sasha. “I don’t know. I’m goin’ to get yer sister.”

In less than a minute they were outside, armed with torches. The flames cut through the black of night and Polly, resting on Hop Pop’s head, said frantically, “She could be anywhere! We need reinforcements! We need help!”

“You and Sprig go to town. Knock on doors, make a ruckus,” ordered Hop Pop. “I’ll—”

“Wait, look!”

Sprig’s torch was close to the ground, illuminating a single, thin line slicing through the dirt, creating a trail. Polly’s eyes went wide. “That looks like it came from a sword!”

Hop Pop tried and failed to recall if he had seen Anne’s new weapon in the basement. “We’re followin’ it.”

“What if it’s the toads?” asked Sprig worriedly. “What if they took her?”

“They didn’t,” said Hop Pop confidently. Anne had defeated one of their greatest fighters. Wally had decimated their home. They would not be coming near them anytime soon. “They ain’t that stupid. C’mon.”

With eyes trained to the ground, they followed after the unintentional trail, screaming Anne’s name.

…

**_Swish! Schink! Swish! Schink!_ **

Anne lost herself in her movements. The silver blade cut through the air and slammed against the trunk of a tree. Anne braced her sneaker-covered foot against the wood and yanked the blade free only to repeat the same motion.

Her grip on the hilt was shaky and her swings were clumsy. There was no trace of the steadiness she had maintained when fighting Sasha. She was hacking away at an invisible enemy, trying to rid herself of the anger burning through her veins like lava.

How could Sasha possibly believe that their only chance of getting home was working with the toads? Why couldn’t she step away? Why was her allegiance with the toads more important than their lifelong friendship?

Anne grit her teeth. Her motions became more frantic.

It wasn’t just anger at Sasha. It was fury at herself. Was she really that stupid? How could she not have seen that though Sasha was her greatest defender back home, she was also her greatest bully? Maggie didn’t intimidate her. Anne needed at least five more sets of hands to count all the times she had cowered in Sasha’s presence.

But there was only one she was ashamed of.

_“Anne, what are you doing? Are you really going to risk your life for these talking frogs? We don’t even belong here. Don’t you wanna get back home? See your family?”_

_“Yeah, but—”_

_“Then put your sword down_ now. _End of discussion.”_

The toe of her shoeless foot caught against a rock buried in the dirt and she twisted. The tip of her sword caught the flesh of her right shin and she cried out in pain. She crumpled to the ground, the sword falling as she let go to clasp both her hands over the cut.

Warm blood oozed against the palm of her hand and Anne started to shudder. Tears spilled down her cheeks and broken sobs tore from her throat.

She didn’t know what to do. She felt like she was floating with nothing to anchor her.

_“Anne!”_

_“Anne, where are yew?”_

_“Please answer, Anne!”_

Anne peeked over her shoulder, seeing two dots of orange light blinking in the darkness. “Guys?”

The lights seemed to turn in her direction. “Anne?” called Sprig hopefully.

“Guys!”

They broke through the trees to reach her. Sprig was by her side in an instant, one arm curling tightly around her shoulders as the other held the torch out at a safe distance. Polly jumped to rest in the crook of Anne’s neck, nuzzling against the sweat-soaked skin.

“We’re here,” said Sprig, holding Anne as she sniffled against the top of his head. “We’re here.”

Hop Pop stared at the blood trickling down Anne’s leg before turning to the sword, which lay against the grass, dark red liquid staining the tip. He took the ribbon from Polly’s head and undid the bow. He used it as a makeshift bandage and wrapped it over the wound.

“Let’s go home,” he said softly. Anne got unsteadily to her feet and she reached for the weapon. Hop Pop was quick to intercept, seizing the hilt and taking it far from Anne’s reach. “I’ll take this.”

They walked silently back to the farm, Anne hand-in-hand with Sprig and her other arm holding Polly against her chest. The red glow of moonlight glimmered off the tear tracks shining on her cheeks. They entered the house and Hop Pop set his hand against the small of Anne’s back, guiding her to the couch.

“Sprig, Polly, get back to bed.”

“But Hop Pop—”

Sprig’s protest was cut off by a swift, warning glare from Hop Pop. He scrunched his face, not wanting to leave Anne’s side, but knowing it was not the time to push his grandfather. He and Polly retreated upstairs and Anne stared down at the floor, her fingers digging into the hard couch cushions.

“Stay here,” instructed Hop Pop. He went into his study and retrieved his satchel. He pulled out a vial and a proper bandage and took off Polly’s ribbon, which was now soiled with blood. As Hop Pop disinfected the wound he said, trying to keep his voice still and calm, “Did yew do this to yerself on purpose?”

Anne blinked at him. “What?”

“Did yew do this to yerself on purpose?” repeated Hop Pop.

His voice cracked and his hand gripped Anne’s. Her eyes went wide with shock and she said, “No! No, Hop Pop, I didn’t hurt myself on purpose! It was an accident, I promise!”

“Okay.” Hop Pop took a shaky breath, relief flooding through him. “Okay. But I’m takin’ that dang thing until further notice.”

Anne’s lips trembled as Hop Pop finished tying up the cotton bandage. “I’m sorry.”

“What are yew sorry for?” asked Hop Pop, sitting next to her and studying her eyes, which held so much anguish for someone so young. “Sneakin’ out?”

“Uh-huh.”

But her eyes averted and Hop Pop knew it wasn’t the complete truth. He reached up to grab her chin and forced her to look at him. “Yew need to talk to me, girl. What’s goin’ on in that head of yers?”

“I…I…I’m a horrible person!”

She dissolved into sobs, her entire body shaking, and Hop Pop pulled her into a fierce hug. He rocked her as she cried and said strongly, “Anne Boonchuy, yew are _not_ a horrible person!”

“Yes I am!” wailed Anne. “I…I told everyone it was okay to go to with the toads, ‘cause Sasha said it was okay and I trusted her. And…and she was gonna kill you, and she told me to…to stand down…and I did…I did and I’m so sorry I betrayed you—”

_“Yew did not._ Anne, yew _saved_ me.”

“But I—”

“No,” said Hop Pop firmly. “I ain’t pretendin’ I know everythin’ about yer life back home, but from what I gather, that girl had a mighty hold on yew. She used that ‘end of discussion’ line because she’s used it before to make yew do what she wants, right?”

“Yes,” said Anne, screwing her eyes shut. “All the time. Since we were little.”

“It was instincts, Anne. She knows what to use to intimidate yew. Yew responded the way yew always responded. But yew would have snapped out of it even if Sprig hadn’t cut in. Because that’s who yew are, Anne. Yew fight for yer friends.”

“Why aren’t you mad?” whispered Anne.

“Why should I be mad?” returned Hop Pop. “Yew saved my life. Yew fought for me and Wartwood. Yew stood up to yer friend and I know how dang hard that was for yew. Yew didn’t lead us into danger. Yew trusted Sasha and there ain’t no shame in that. Yew hear me?”

“I’m so confused,” said Anne brokenly. “She did such horrible things. But…but I still miss her.”

She expected a reprimand. But Hop Pop stroked her hair and said understandingly, “Of course yew do. She wouldn’t have been yer friend if all yew shared were bad times. Frogs—and, er, people—are complicated. Yer allowed to miss those yew care about even if they’ve done some bad things. That’s what unconditional love is, Anne.”

_That’s what we feel for you._

It didn’t need to be said. Anne lingered in Hop Pop’s embrace, inhaling the scent that had become so familiar and comforting to her. She eventually sat up, scrubbing at her eyes. Her breathing was still tremulous and Hop Pop touched her wrist.

“In and out, honey. Slow and easy.”

Anne obeyed, taking several slow, deep breaths. “I’m sorry,” she repeated. “For sneaking out and for worrying you. I just…it all became too much. I was feeling a thousand things at once and I couldn’t handle it.”

“That’s why yew gotta talk it out,” said Hop Pop sternly. “I know it can be hard but yew gotta do it.” He tapped the bandage on Anne’s shin. “Otherwise it just gets bottled up and yew end up gettin’ hurt.”

“Tell me about it,” muttered Anne. “I’ll talk out my junk with you from now on. I promise.”

“Good,” said Hop Pop in relief. “This old heart can’t take many more frights. Anythin’ else yew wanna talk about?”

“Are…are the other frogs mad at me? ‘Cause I told them it was okay to go with the toads?”

“Anne, that’s not yer fault,” repeated Hop Pop patiently.

“I know…but it’s hard not to feel bad about it. And they might think it was my fault,” muttered Anne.

“They don’t,” said Hop Pop, patting her knee. “Trust me, kiddo, they ain’t mad at yew. Yew were tricked just like the rest of us.”

Anne blinked, a sudden, new understanding dawning upon her. Sasha had tricked her. Manipulated her. She _knew_ Anne was close with the Plantars from the second she introduced them to the blonde. But Sasha hadn’t cared. Hadn’t had a change of heart.

And Sasha must have found out where she was located from Fens, Bog and Mire. Had that information sent the gears turning in her head? Had Sasha plotted the banquet _around_ Anne, knowing that if she couldn’t convince the inhabitants of Wartwood to go with the toads, Anne might be able to persuade them?

Anne set her lips in a firm line. No. Hop Pop was right. None of it was her fault. She had been a cog in the mechanics of Sasha’s grand plan. Bitterness rose in her throat and she swallowed it back.

“Do you think Sasha ever cared about me?”

“I think she still does care, Anne,” said Hop Pop softly. “Or else she wouldn’t have let go.”

Anne took a shaky breath. “Think she’ll ever apologize?”

Hop Pop was hesitant. “I don’t know, sweetheart. She seems real stubborn.”

Anne snorted. “You don’t know the half of it.”

A sincere smile spread across her face and she felt the darkness lift from her heart. It still hurt; what Sasha had done. But it was not on her shoulders. Anne had made her decisions, made the right choices, and she had no reason to apologize for them. If Sasha couldn’t come to terms that she was wrong, well…than maybe it was best for them to go their separate ways when they returned home.

But that didn’t mean Anne wouldn’t try. When they met again, Anne would try to talk to her. Try to make her see sense. And at the end of it all, it didn’t really matter if they agreed or not—they would have to work together at some point, find a compromise, because going home was not a possibility unless all three girls were together.

Anne’s stomach gave a loud, gurgling growl and Anne flinched as the sensation of hunger clenched her insides. Hop Pop’s brow furrowed. “Yew hungry, girl?”

“Yeah. I…um, I haven’t eaten for a day,” said Anne guiltily. “I was so upset I couldn’t eat, so I threw out the salad you made me. I’m sorry.”

Hop Pop was on his feet in an instant. “Yew gotta take better care of yerself, Anne,” he scolded.

“I know,” muttered Anne.

“Go sit at the table. I’ll whip yew somethin’ up.” Anne obediently went to sit at the kitchen table. Hop Pop puttered around, gathering the ingredients for pancakes, and he called, “Sprig, Polly! Yew want somethin’ to eat?”

Sprig and Polly were downstairs in an instant, bright-eyed and wide awake as Hop Pop knew they would be. Sprig hopped into Anne’s lap and said, “Are you okay?”

“I am now,” said Anne truthfully. “I’m sorry I didn’t talk to you.”

“It’s okay. Just don’t do it again, okay? You really scared us tonight.”

“I won’t.” Anne pulled him and Polly into a hug. “Thank you. For snapping me out of it, back on the roof of the tower. I’m sorry if I disappointed you.”

“You didn’t,” said Sprig strongly.

“Yeah, you were awesome!” said Polly cheerfully. “You were so cool with the sword! Can I borrow it?”

“No,” said Hop Pop curtly.

“Ah, buzzkill,” said Polly with a pout.

Anne laughed. “Sorry, dude.”

The kitchen filled with the scent of sizzling pillbug pancakes. The smell did not turn Anne’s stomach and she found herself practically inhaling the food, with Hop Pop telling her with exasperation to slow down and chew. They chatted about nothing in particular, nothing with weight attached, and Anne’s body was loose with relaxation.

With her stomach full and Hop Pop content that she was well-fed, they helped clean up the mess before retiring to Hop Pop’s bed. Clustered together on the mattress, sharing one blanket, with Anne’s legs hanging over the edge, they snuggled together.

Anne knew that she would have to face many more challenges in her journey to get back home. She knew it would be tough. That it would test her spirit. But right now, she didn’t care.

With Polly on her chest, Sprig on her right side and Hop Pop at her left, their soft breathing filling the dark room, their bodies curled against hers, she knew she would be fine.

This was love. This was friendship. From now on, she would not settle for anything less.

She deserved better.


End file.
